Key Facts & Information

Overview

Each time your heart beats, or you breathe, think, dream, smell, see, move, laugh, read, remember, write, or feel something, you are using your nervous system. The nervous system includes your brain, spinal cord, and a huge network of nerves that make electrical connections all over your body. Neurologists are the medical doctors who diagnose and treat problems with the nervous system. They work to restore health to an essential system in the body.

Key Requirements

Highly observant, empathetic, and analytical, with outstanding communication skills and a strong desire to help others

Training, Other Qualifications

The common path to practicing as a neurologist requires 8 years of education beyond high school and 3-8 additional years of internship and residency. All states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories license physicians.

Education and Training

To become a board-certified neurologist, several requirements must be met:

Four years of premedical education in a college or university.

Four years of medical school resulting in an MD or DO degree (doctor of medicine or doctor of osteopathy degree).

One-year internship in either internal medicine or in medicine/surgery.

At least 3 years of specialty training in an accredited neurology residency program.

Other Qualifications

People who want to become neurologists must have a desire to serve patients, be self-motivated, and be able to survive the pressures and long hours of medical education and practice. Physicians also must have a good bedside manner, emotional stability, and the ability to make decisions in emergencies. Prospective physicians must be willing to study throughout their career to keep up with medical advances.

Nature of the Work

Watch this video to see what a neurologist finds out about his own brain and music. What happens in your brain when you hear a piece of music that you enjoy? Neurologist Oliver Sacks is interested in this very question.

Watch this video to see what a neurologist finds out about his own brain and music. What happens in your brain when you hear a piece of music that you enjoy? Neurologist Oliver Sacks is interested in this very question.

A neurologist is a medical doctor or osteopath who has trained in the diagnosis and treatment of nervous system disorders, including diseases of the brain, spinal cord, nerves, and muscles.

Neurologists perform neurological examinations of the nerves in the head and neck; muscle strength and movement; balance, ambulation, and reflexes; and sensation, memory, speech, language, and other cognitive abilities.

They also perform diagnostic tests, such as the following:

CAT (computed axial tomography) scan

MRI/MRA (magnetic resonance imaging/magnetic resonance angiography)

Lumbar puncture (spinal tap)

EEG (electroencephalography)

EMG/NCV (electromyography/nerve conduction velocity)

Some neurologists are also involved in research. These neurologists, often called academic or research neurologists, focus on discovering how the nervous system works. They conduct research on a variety of neurological topics including what goes wrong in disease cases, like epilepsy or Parkinson's, and how people perceive emotions, like happiness and anger.

Work Environment

Many neurologists work in small private offices or clinics, often assisted by a small staff of nurses and other administrative personnel. Increasingly, neurologists are practicing in groups or healthcare organizations that provide backup coverage and allow for more time off. Neurologists in a group practice or healthcare organization often work as part of a team that coordinates care for a number of patients; they are less independent than the solo practitioners of the past.

Many neurologists work long, irregular hours. They may travel between the office and hospitals to care for their patients. While on call, a neurologist will deal with many patients' concerns over the phone and make emergency visits to hospitals or nursing homes.

Research or academic neurologists may also spend time in laboratory settings in addition to hospitals.

You can find this page online at: http://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-engineering-careers/health/neurologist

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